Friday, December 22, 2017

In mid 2013, I had posted - ‘It would ever remain a mystery as to how
he played against England at home after scoring – 5,0,0,4,4 at Srilanka and 4
against Pak at Chennai.. 17 in 6 innings and still he got a chance’. Today, I would
have no qualms in taking back those words ~ he is very special and belongs to a
different genre; he does not bludgeon but caresses – sending balls soaring with
silken touch ! – no prize for guessing, this star.

In 2nd T20
today, Sri Lanka captain Thisara Perera won yet another toss, and elected to
bowl in the second T20I against India in Indore. Thisara said he felt the short
boundaries at the Holkar Stadium would lend better to a chase. KL Rahul was out caught brilliantly by keeper
Dickwella off Pradeep for 89 made of
just 49 balls with 8 sixers and a strike rate of 181.63; yet he will not the
MoM and not much would be talked about him .. ..

Holkar Cricket Stadium is in
Indore, Madhya Pradesh. It was earlier known as Maharani Usharaje Trust Cricket
Ground. Virender Sehwag hit 219 in a ODI here.

The Holkar dynasty was a
Hindu Maratha royal house in India. The Holkars ruled as Maratha Rajas, and
later as Maharajas of Indore in Central India as an independent member of the
Maratha Empire until 1818. Later, their kingdom became a princely state under
the protectorate of British India. The dynasty was founded by Malhar Rao, who joined the service of the
Peshwas of the Maratha Empire in 1721 – the head was known as Holkar
Maharaja. The Third Anglo-Maratha War
(1817–1818) was the final and decisive conflict between the British East India
Company (EIC) and the Hindu Maratha Empire in India. The war left the Company
in control of most of India. It began with an invasion of the Hindu Maratha
territory by British East India Company troops, the largest such British
controlled force massed in India. The troops were led by the Governor General
Hastings supported by a force under
General Thomas Hislop. The Peshwa was
eventually captured and placed on a small estate at Bithur, near Kanpur.

Today it was a different
kind of massacre at Holkar as India amassed 260 in 20 overs. There were to be 21 fours and equivalent no.
of sixers from the Indian side. Rohit Sharma has been in phenomenal form, ever
since making a comeback to the team from injury during the Champions Trophy. In
his first series as India captain, however, he has reached a different level as
a batsman, scoring runs at an unimaginary pace, even by his own standards.

In the second T20I against
the Lankans at Indore, Sharma was in his elements, smashing the fastest century
ever by an Indian in T20Is and the joint-fastest ever with David Miller. A
43-ball 118 was laden with 10 maximums, one of which flew for 104 metres. He
completed his century in 35 balls, striking the ball as cleanly as he ever has,
hitting the ball with disdain against the spinners. Rohit saved his best
against Thisara Perera, smacking the medium pacer for four sixes in as many
balls in remarkable fashion.

His 35 equalled David
Miller's record - against Bangladesh in October 2017. The previous fastest T20I
century among India batsmen was 46 balls by KL Rahul, against West Indies in
Lauderhill last year. Rohit Sharma scored his eighth International century in
2017, the second most by any batsman. Only Virat Kohli has more centuries (11)
than Rohit this year.